Hello!

My name is Joshua Curhan and I am so excited to be teaching second grade at Bowman. Having grown up in Lexington (I attended Bridge School in kindergarten and first grade) and nearby Lincoln, I feel so fortunate to be teaching in such an amazing community. I graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Education Studies from Brown University, and received my Masters Degree in Curriculum and Teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University, where I concentrated in Elementary Inclusive Education and Teaching Students with Disabilities. Before I joined the Bowman second-grade team, I served as a long-term fifth grade substitute teacher in Wayland and also substitute-taught in grades K-8 in schools throughout Massachusetts, including at Bowman. In my spare time I love to bike, read, play ping-pong, spend time with family and friends, and cheer for all the Boston sports teams!

My Philosophy of Teaching

I truly believe that schools are extremely important environments for children to grow and develop. There is much that needs to be done on the part of teachers to ensure that each child receives a rich educational experience, from understanding a child's academic and personal intricacies, to involving parents and family members as the child's learning partner. However, achieving these goals is far from impossible, and I believe that through differentiation and collaboration, a teacher can prepare children to become productive contributors to society.

I am a strong believer in Gardner's theory of Multiple Intelligences when describing student learning. Along these lines, I believe that every student is unique and that accommodations should be made so that a student has an optimal learning environment. I have found in my teaching experience that there is no one "right" teaching style. Where one student learns best by gazing down at the rug and absorbing through hearing, another stares intently at the whiteboard, taking in words and numbers visually. Where one student learns best by working independently, another benefits from collaborating and exploring with others. And where one student loves inquiry with few boundaries, another prefers structure and guidance. Thus, a class of students learns best through a variety of instructional methods, and a teacher must ensure that he or she plans out lessons in a way that will appeal and enhance the learning of each and every student.

A child's academic learning should not be restricted to the instruction of a teacher or the walls of the classroom; parents and family members serving as a child's learning partner can be crucial to the child's growth. Children learn best when families and teachers work together. It is vital for a teacher to keep parents and families informed of what is taking place in the classroom-and at times invite them into the classroom to learn alongside students-and provide resources that families can use at home to enhance a student's education.

Teaching is not just a job; it is an experience and an art. It is an opportunity to shape children to be knowledgeable, inquisitive, and enthusiastic human beings and prepare them to help make a positive impact on society. A teacher must believe in students and their abilities, and adapt his or her teaching style to ensure that all students have the richest and most fulfilling educational experience possible.